


You Leave Me Breathless

by Angelwithbrokenwings



Series: Destiel Hospital Coffee Shop AU [4]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-26
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-11-05 23:09:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17928158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelwithbrokenwings/pseuds/Angelwithbrokenwings
Summary: Dean has an asthma attack but his doctor is there to save him.





	1. Chapter 1

“Dean, are you alright?” Cas asked kneeling down in front of him. 

Dean felt his chest begin to tighten. He gave another little cough, trying to ignore the feeling, thinking it was nothing. 

“Are you alright, Dean?” Cas asked more urgently. 

Dean nodded and reached into his pocket. He pulled out his inhaler, breathing out, raising it to his mouth, and inhaling a puff of the medicine. Cas looked on in confusion and then understanding, gently rubbing a hand on his upper arm for support. 

Dean felt the sensation growing worse instead of better and began rubbing his chest, hoping it would help the medicine work. He raised the inhaler to his mouth again, praying this time it would work. His breath was coming in more rapidly now, his panic clearly not helping the situation. 

Dean gave a panicked look to Cas. “It’s...not...working,” he gasped. 

Cas gave a sympathetic look hiding his concern. “Try one more hit, Dean.” He grabbed the bag off the counter that held his medical tools and opened it up, pulling out his stethoscope. He pulled up his shirt to reveal his chest and noticed how difficult his breathing was becoming, seeing the outline of Dean’s ribs every time he took a breath. 

“Okay, intercostal retraction, wheezing, medication not working,” Cas muttered to himself as he put the stethoscope in his ears. “You’re okay Dean, I’m just going to take a listen to your chest to see what’s going on,” Cas spoke softly, trying to put him at ease. 

Dean threw his head back gasping for more air, greedily trying to suck in as much as his lungs would allow him. 

“Dean I know it’s hard but you need to try and take deep breaths,” Cas asked the younger man, still listening to his labored breathing. 

Cas removed the stethoscope, realising that Dean wasn’t getting better on his own and that he would need more help which meant hospital. But he couldn’t have Dean panicking further and exacerbating his condition. Cas thought carefully how to explain to Dean that he need more help than the doctor could provide at home. “Dean, I’m going to call some buddies of mine to come help us out. Is it alright if I call them?” 

Dean’s eyes grew wide. “Don’t worry, everything is going to be okay. I just don’t have everything I need here at my house, and I know my friends will have it on their ambulance,” Cas reassured him. Finally, Dean nodded. The doctor whipped out his cell phone and dialed 9-1-1.

There was a knock on the door not long after, signalling the arrival of the ambulance. Cas opened the door, grabbing the monitor and oxygen bags. “Can you guys get the gurney please?” he instructed. 

“Sure thing Novak, we’ll follow your lead,” the paramedic replied. 

Cas rushed back to Dean, grabbing a mask and connecting it to the oxygen tank, placing it over Dean’s nose and mouth. “Breathe Dean, you’re okay” Cas soothed. 

“Don’t… let them… touch…” Dean gasped. “Please… you…”

“I’ve got you,” Cas promised. “Not them - I’ll be the only one to treat you, alright? You trust me, don’t you?”

He almost missed Dean’s tiny nod when the paramedics entered his home. 

“Pass me the leads, I’ll get him hooked up,” the doctor ordered. “Hope this wasn’t one of your favorites,” Cas asked trying to relieve the tension as he cut up the center of Dean’s shirt. He began attaching electrodes to Dean’s chest and attaching wires to them. He placed a pulse oximeter and blood pressure cuff on his barista right after. “You guys watch his vitals,” the doctor ordered, “and I’ll take care of this patient.” They nodded to signal that they understood.

Cas turned back to Dean. “Keep taking nice deep breaths for me, okay? I need you to try and stay calm for me so I can start a cannula. Can you do that for me, Dean?”

Dean’s eyes darted wildly from his arm to Cas’ eyes; the heart monitor accelerated its shrill beeping. The doctor placed a hand on Dean’s chest to steady him, feeling his heart beating like the flapping of a hummingbird’s wings. “Cas,” he gasped.

“Shh, Dean, I know, and I’m sorry,” the doctor apologized, taking the fearful man’s hand and holding it to his own chest. “Can you feel this? I want you to breathe like I do.” He inhaled deeply, pausing for a moment before releasing the breath. “Come on, you can do it. Just breathe with me.” 

As Cas distracted the younger man he signaled for one of the paramedics to come and insert the IV. “Just keep breathing” Cas repeated keeping his breaths steady. Cas knew when the IV went in when he felt Dean’s breath hitch and his eyes close tight. The medic inserted the necessary medication and closed the port moving back to his position next to the gurney. “That wasn’t so bad was it now?” Cas asked softly. 

Dean nodded as a single tear trailed down his cheek. Cas wiped it away tenderly with his thumb. “I’m sorry Dean, but you really did need that. Just hang in there, the medicine will kick in soon and you’ll start to feel better, okay?” 

Cas helped a now exhausted Dean up onto the gurney and covered him with a blanket. “I’m riding with him,” the doctor informed the paramedics as he went to climb in the back of the ambulance.

“Um, doctor,” one of them asked, “d’you wanna put your clothes on first? Or some shoes, maybe?”

Cas looked down at his bathrobe and slippers. “Just a minute, boys. I’ll be right back, Dean.”

Dean managed a feeble whimper, holding out his hand to the doctor. 

“Only a few seconds - I promise.” Cas squeezed the barista’s hand before darting up the stairs to change his clothes. 

Cas ran out 30 seconds later in the same scrubs as last night, and still in his slippers with his sneakers in hand. 

When the ambulance pulled up, Gabriel was ready and waiting for his patient. “Slippers and socks Cassie? Is that what the interns are wearing these days?” Gabriel taunted. 

“Not now Gabe,” Cas barked, motioning to Dean asleep on the gurney. It only took a moment for Gabriel to recognize the patient and hurry him into a cubicle for treatment. “No interns,” Cas insisted. 

Cas began to walk away. “Where are you going?” Gabe called after him. 

“To phone his emergency contact…” Cas replied. He walked towards the nurse’s station to make the call while Dean slept peacefully under Gabriel’s care.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean is recovering from his asthma attack.

The next morning Cas came in for his next shift coffee in hand. His first visit was to Dean, who had been moved up to the respiratory ward. 

“Hey Dean, how’re you feeling?” Cas asked. 

Dean was in a white t-shirt and blue scrub bottoms, he had 3 EKG leads on, a blood pressure cuff and a pulse ox all measuring his vitals. He had a nasal cannula and IV’s in his hand and arm. 

“A little better this morning; chest still hurts a little, but good thanks to you,” Dean smiled. 

Cas took the seat next to his bed, glancing at the monitors to see for himself that he was in fact doing okay. “You scared me back then Dean, I thought I was going to lose you” Cas looked away trying to stop the tears from flowing. 

Dean grabbed his hand, “I’m alright, Dr Speight said it was worse because I was panicking too, I haven't had an attack for a while now”. 

Cas looked back at the barista and smiled, “I have to go on shift now, you focus on getting better” he raised his coffee cup “plus I need my favourite barista back, Jo doesn't make it half as good as yours” Cas smiled before backing out of the cubicle. 

He nearly bumped into the safety coordinator on his way out. “Oh, hello Bobby! Thanks for coming so quickly,” Cas said. “I didn’t know you were his emergency contact.”

“Yeah, been his contact ever since his old man passed a few years back,” Bobby replied. “How is he doin’? Asthma attack, you said? I didn’t know he still had it.”

Cas nodded. “Some patients outgrow it, and others don’t. Looks like Dean is one of the lucky ones,” he tried to kid. “Anyway, he’s stable now. It was a pretty bad attack, but he’s fine. I think it scared him more than anything else.”

Bobby thanked him and went inside the cubicle to see how Dean was doing, so Cas made his way back down to the emergency room. He spotted Gabriel filling out charts at the nurse’s station and approached him.

“Heya Cassie, I’m discharging your boyfriend this afternoon,” Gabe quipped.

“He’s not my… Gabriel!” Cas groaned. “Is that his chart?” he asked, reaching for the clipboard.

Gabe quickly tugged it out of reach. “You can’t just read anyone’s chart, Cas, there’s laws about that.” Then he handed Cas another chart. “That was Mr. Hampstead’s chart; this one is Dean’s.”

A sheepish grin crossed the doctor’s face. “Thanks, Gabe.”

“Don’t mention it,” he replied. “No, really - don’t. I’ll get reprimanded.”

“You trust me, don’t you?” Cas inquired.

“Cassie, pal, I don’t trust anyone anymore,” Gabe chuckled. “Ya got five minutes and then I want that back.”

“Deal,” Cas agreed.

That afternoon as Cas was busy seeing patients, he saw Dean walking towards the exit to go home. He dropped the chart he was holding at the nurses station and ran after him. “Dean!” he shouted. 

Dean turned around, seeing Cas run towards him, and smiled tiredly. “Hey man, the doc just discharged me so I’m heading home. Just gotta get my new meds and nebulizer from the pharmacy and then rest”. 

Cas looked at his watch, “I could take the rest of the day off, the interns are on a training day and there are enough doctors in the ER to cover”. 

Dean shook his head. “I can’t ask that of you,” he began. 

“You’re not asking.” 

“Can’t argue with that, but this time, we’re taking my car”. Dean stated spinning his keys on his finger. 

Cas followed Dean to his car and they drove to his house, stopping by the nearest CVS on their way to pick up the necessary prescriptions. Once at home Dean got changed into some comfortable clothing and settled on the couch. 

“So, doc, can I get you a beer?” Dean asked his guest.

Cas chuckled, shaking his head. “No thanks. I’d love a coffee; but I’ll make it, just let me know where the stuff is,” Cas smiled, getting up and moving towards the kitchen. 

“The top cabinet to the right of the sink,” Dean called out. “Cups are in the next cabinet.” 

When Cas returned with his coffee and a water for Dean, the two fell into easy conversation. A few hours later, Cas looked at the clock on Dean’s wall and noticed it was probably time for his medication. 

“Dean, do you want me to set up your nebulizer? I think it’s time for a treatment.” Cas asked getting up. Cas came in with the pharmacy bag and his work bag. He saw Dean eyeing the bag and replied, “I just want to keep an eye on you, that okay?”. 

Dean nodded in response and cleared the table for Cas to set up on. “You know, I’ve done this plenty of times by myself before, without any help,” he began.

“I know you don’t need my help, Dean,” Cas replied. “But I am here, so…”

Dean shrugged. “Alright, knock yourself out.” Cas busied himself with assembling the machine and loading the medicine in the compartment. When it was ready, he passed the mask to Dean, who raised it to his face and inhaled deeply.

“That’s good, Dean,” Cas coached. “Nice and slow, just like that.” He reached in his bag and pulled his stethoscope out. “Do you mind if I listen to you?” Dean shook his head no, so the doctor put the instrument in his ears and lifted Dean’s shirt up, placing it on his back. “Just keep taking deep breaths for me,” he instructed.

Dean chuckled softly and it resonated up the tubing into Castiel’s ears. 

“What’s so funny?” Cas asked.

“This ain’t my first rodeo,” the barista answered.

“Sorry, Dean, I know,” the doctor blushed. “I just find it fascinating… it’s the nerdy med student trapped inside of me!”

“It’s okay,” Dean reassured him. He glanced at his watch. “It’s starting to get late.”

Cas looked up at his patient, taking his stethoscope off and setting it down. “I’ll just be going then,”

“No!” Dean exclaimed. “I mean, you’re welcome to stay the night here. If you want, that is.” He smiled shyly.

The doctor’s eyes gleamed. “Well, okay. Sure, I guess I could stay, if you want me to.”

“I do,” Dean confirmed. “I might have another attack if you leave.”

“We wouldn’t want that,” Cas seconded.

“Nope,” Dean replied.

“That’s settled, then!” The doctor looked around the room. “Do you want to order some takeout?”

The next morning Cas came down to Dean cooking breakfast. 

"How're you feeling this morning Dean? Do you need another neb treatment? No shortness of breath or pain?"

"Nah I'm good for now, thanks Cas"

"Are you sure? That was a big attack, you must be tired, do you need anything?"

"Just pancakes and bacon"

"Have you taken your medicine this morning?"

"No... don't need it"

"Are you sure? Let me check your prescription"

"Cas come on man, the only thing wrong with me right now is I'm getting hangry!"

"Dean, calm down, you don't want another attack".

"I'm not having another attack!"

"You will if you don't calm down!"

"I can't calm down if you keep treating me like I'm gonna die any second now!"

"You almost did on my kitchen floor Dean!"

"What the hell, Cas? I didn't die, not even close. I've been alive my whole life so far if you haven't noticed! Nothing's killed me yet!"

"Dean, when I saw you on that floor, you were hardly breathing, any longer and you would have died!"

"I've got a phone Cas, I can call 911 like anyone else"

"Dean, you couldn't have, if you would have seen yourself!"

"I'm not a fucking invalid like your god damn trauma cases, doctor hero man!"

“I don't need you to save me!"

"I don't want to lose you!"

"You can't lose something you never had, doc,” Dean wheezed, turning red in the face. "You should go." He sat down to try to catch his breath.

Cas collected his belongings and was halfway to the door. Despite his anger, something made him turn around. "Dean?"

Dean had already gotten his inhaler out of his pocket and halfway to his mouth. "Don't even," he snarled.

"Dean, let me help you,” the doctor pleaded.

"I GOT this, Cas!" Dean warned, putting a hand up to keep him back.

Cas held his hands up in surrender, showing he wouldn’t come any closer. When Dean had calmed down, he picked up his bags again and left. 

The next few days were awkward for the pair. Dean was hurt when Cas had gone to Jo to get his usual coffee; he was even more hurt that Cas had to ask instead of ordering the usual or having it ready for when it was his turn in line. 

A few days had passed like this: awkward glances, looking away when the other noticed he was staring. Cas walked into the hospital and saw Dean behind the counter once again but this time there was no Jo. Cas walked past the coffee shop, annoyed that he would have to face his shift without caffeine. He was lost in this thought when he heard a familiar voice calling his name. He turned around to see Dean behind him. 

"What do you want Dean?"

"Cas, I... look man, I said some stuff I didn't mean, and I just wanted to say I'm sorry," he began.

"It's alright Dean, I'm sorry for being too overbearing. Gabe always says I tend to do that… to people I care about.”

The barista looked puzzled. "What do you mean, care...?"

"I'm sorry for treating you like that Dean. I really care about you."

"Do you mean you... like me?"

"Well… yeah… I do,” Cas admitted.

"As friends, right? Or... something else?"

The doctor looked away. "Something else..."

"I um..." Dean blushed. "I've never, but.. I think I feel it too."

Cas made eye contact again. "If you want to try this thing, whatever it is-"

"I think, I think I would like that,” the barista interrupted. They grinned stupidly at each other. “So, are we a thing now?” he asked. 

“I think we are,” Cas replied blushing. 

The two stared at each other, an awkward silence falling between the pair. “So…” Dean interrupted, “how about that coffee?” 

Cas smiled and nodded, walking over to the shop with his new boyfriend.


End file.
